Giffnock Girlguides visit London

John A. MacInnes

Young women from Giffnock joined hundreds of fellow Girlguiding members in London last weekend to kick off celebrations for 100 years of The Senior Section.

Giffnock Senior Section joined more than 5,000 girls and young women aged five to 25 at Alexandra Palace on Saturday 20 and Sunday, February 21 for a huge girl-only festival.

The two-day event, called Spark, saw the girls step out of their comfort zone and take on adventurous activities such as bouldering, bungee trampolining and zorbing.

Jackie Mackie, 14, said: “I had a wonderful day at Spark in London. I was extremely excited about all the events that were happening and my favourite was the Henna tattoos! We all now have matching tattoos on our hands!

“I had never been to London before so it was a great opportunity to be there with all my closest friends. This would not have been possible without Senior Section. Senior Section constantly gives us opportunities to try new things and have so much fun!”

Open to all girls and young women aged 14 to 25, The Senior Section offers a host of amazing opportunities to older girls in guiding, from international travel and adventure to leadership skills.

Over the past 100 years, Senior Section members have witnessed the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, swum the Channel, attended the UN Convention on the Status of Women, and represented Great Britain at the Olympics.

Celebrations will continue across the UK until October 2016, with the Scottish celebrations including a challenge to walk Scotland’s national trail, a tea party-themed badge and opportunities to travel abroad and delve into history.

Girlguiding Scotland Chief Commissioner Sue Walker said: “The Girlguiding adventure continues for young women right up to the age of 25, and this spectacular year of celebration is a great chance to shine a spotlight on the incredible achievements of our Senior Section members.

“These inspiring young women have been at the forefront of planning and leading an unforgettable year of adventure, challenge and excitement for their peers.

“Girlguiding’s Senior Section has evolved over the last 100 years as the lives of girls have changed.

“But guiding continues to offer a safe space for young women to develop their confidence, find their voice and reach their potential.”